Stay
by royaltyjunk
Summary: Poetry was a flower between them, but it was their flower of destruction. And soon, Flora burnt their love to the ground the minute Jakob realized he loved her.
_A/N: Warning - Spoilers for Birthright, all the way until the endgame. If you haven't played the game yet and don't wish to be spoiled, hit that back button on your browser now._

 _I absolutely fell in love with this pairing when I read the special conversations between Flora and Jakob when you fight Flora in both games, and that resulted in this! So, enjoy~_

 _This story is actually a songfic, based off of the song "Stay" by Hurts. It's a really good song. Go check it out!_

 **Stay**

∫xOx∫xOx∫

 _My whole life waiting for the right time_

 _To tell you how I feel._

 _Know I try to tell you that I need you._

Her pen scratched the surface of the parchment when the door opened. Flora's head shot up, looking at the intruder. A silver-haired man looked back at her, a stoic look on his face.

"Flora."

The maid's breath caught in her throat. Jakob had been tasked with helping Master Corrin in battle training, and the only time the blue-haired maid could have caught a glimpse of him was when they were assigned to prepare lunch or supper together, and in the mornings when he went with her and Felicia to wake the sleeping master.

How she had longed for him to acknowledge her, and Flora couldn't help but feel happiness pump her heart with joy.

"Good morning, Jakob," Flora stood and bowed, "how may I help you?"

"I was just wondering what you do, cooped up in this room at all times. Perhaps you should try going for a walk. Staying indoors is not always a possibility, you realize?"

Flora pursed her lips, brushing aside the hair hanging from her forehead. Jakob blinked, and his eyes darted to the piece of paper sitting on her desk. Flora hastily snatched the paper up and held it behind her back as blood rushed to her cheeks.

What Jakob did next surprised Flora.

He smiled and said, "Your writing skills are most impressive."

Flora blinked, and Jakob nodded before offering, "If you would like, I could help you in finishing that piece of poetry you are writing."

The blue-haired maid just nodded.

Flora scrambled to hand him a paper and pen before hesitantly placing her paper on the wooden table.

Jakob looked at the poem before picking up the pen and beginning to write.

The door was pushed open once again, and they both raised their heads. Corrin stood in the doorframe of Flora's room. Jakob stood and bowed to the noble before following Corrin outside of the room.

The silver-haired man stopped by her doorway, turning to Flora. He bowed to her before closing the door behind him.

Flora stood by her desk, staring at the paper that Jakob had written on, piled atop her own paper. Picking up one of the thin sheets, she held it tightly to her heart, leaning against the small wooden table. Snow swirled, cold air blew, but she had yet to notice it through the warmth of her heart.

She never knew that she couldn't have told Jakob about her concealed feelings after their meeting that day.

 _Here I am without you._

 _I feel so lost but what can I do?_

 _'Cause I know this love seems real_

 _But I don't know how to feel._

The blue-haired maid clutched the paper close to her chest as she sat quietly in her room atop the icy mountain.

She stared at his familiar loopy handwriting, and Flora held a hand to her mouth as she sniffled.

"Jakob…" She choked out his name, before clenching the paper to her chest.

"Jakob, I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

"Lady Flora! The tribesmen are ready!" A gruff voice called from outside of her cottage, interrupting the sobs blossoming in her chest.

Flora quivered, taking deep breaths. She wiped her tearing eyes before standing. Tucking the parchment into the folds of her short black dress, the lady set her eyes on the Silver Dagger sitting on her bedside table.

She opened the door, a cold and stoic look in her eyes as she clenched her fingers around the dagger's handle. Flora swept her eyes over the group of men, and nodded.

"Very well. We go."

Her heart screamed to stop, but her body kept marching. She kept going until she saw the red eyes of Corrin, the blue brooch of Jakob.

And in that instant, the Flora that had loved Jakob had disappeared.

 _We say goodbye in the pouring rain_

 _And I break down as you walk away._

 _Stay, stay._

She felt the sword slash at her, and Flora fell backwards, collapsing on the ground.

Three hazy figures surrounded her, and the blue-haired maid slowly struggled to get up.

Quietly, she stood and stared at her feet as Corrin began to speak. She heard Felicia vigorously fidgeting, and felt the air around them grow colder by the minute as her sister grew more and more anxious.

Flora's fingers twitched, and she reached into a small pocket along the back of her dress. The Nohrian maid raised her head, looking at the silver-haired butler. Corrin quieted down, waiting for Flora to say something.

She took a step backwards, and called for everyone to move away.

And then, there was fire, burning her body and heart. Burning away her love until nothing remained but ashes of a distant love.

 _'Cause all my life I've felt this way_

 _But I could never find the words to say_

 _Stay, stay._

Blazing flames and heat exploded around her, and the three people let out different screams of disbelief and anxiety. Flora could only hear Jakob's yell, loud and panicked.

The lady opened her eyes, and met their despairing expressions. Jakob stared into her eyes, and Flora was surprised to see only one thing present in his eyes.

Pleading.

Flora stopped breathing, despite the flames around her. Jakob was pleading her to stop.

The blue-haired woman only shook her head. She had come too far. She had taken too much guilt. She couldn't bear to live and see his face once more after this betrayal.

So, when her sister and her liege pleaded her to stop, she just said, "No."

When even her love begged her, she shook her head. And her heart and will was shattered the minute Jakob let out a cry of disbelief and agony.

 _Alright, everything is alright_

 _Since you came along_

 _And before you_

 _I had nowhere to run to_

Felicia threw her arms wide, and snow bereted the area. Flora just shook her head, and watched as their bewilderment grew with the enchanted flames.

Jakob was calling, yelling over the blizzard for her to stop.

Again, Flora shook her head.

Her heart ached, her mind called to her to stop. The pain was excruciating, she wanted to stop.

All she had wanted was to serve Master Corrin, and perhaps a future with Jakob. A future where they could have served Corrin together until they grew old and their hair was gray, and their names were glorified.

She slowly began to talk.

It was too late for that now, she said, and Flora bit her lip. Tears formed in her eyes as she stared through watered vision at the man she loved, whom could never have loved her back.

 _Nothing to hold on to_

 _I came so close to giving it up._

 _And I wonder if you know_

 _How it feels to let you go?_

Flora could feel her strength draining away as she whispered her goodbyes to her master and sister.

Jakob was stepping backwards, and she could see the weakness in his body. Flora turned to look at him, opening her lips just barely to mouth the words she had always wanted to say to him.

"I love you."

Jakob stumbled, and his eyes grew wide. The man dashed forward, his feet crunching against the snow.

Flora gasped a breath and watched as the ground rushed up to meet her. She closed her eyes as the side of her head was met with cold snow, and the fire slowly extinguished.

She wondered at that moment, was Jakob experiencing the same heartwrench she felt twisting and shattering her love as she was?

 _You say goodbye in the pouring rain_

 _And I break down as you walk away._

 _Stay, stay._

She could hear Jakob yelling her name from close by, and Felicia sobbing. She could hear Corrin collapsing by her body, barely feeling the snow kicked up at her body by everyone who crowded around her.

"Flora…!" Her sister's voice was choked up, and Flora couldn't help but take a deep breath to stop her tears.

"Flora."

A cold hand gripped hers, but she didn't open her eyes.

She heard him swallow, and Jakob quietly held her hand. Flora shivered, and felt her strength slipping away.

Her breaths grew shallower. Her hand was growing cold.

And with every last ounce of strength, Flora squeezed Jakob's hand, her fingers gripping onto his hand. A smile stretched across her face.

Darkness upon darkness swallowed her, and the only thing she heard was Jakob, calling her name.

She could have sworn that he sounded like he was crying.

 _'Cause all my life I've felt this way_

 _But I could never find the words to say_

 _Stay, stay._

The silver-haired butler smiled as his liege began to rise, swinging the Noble Yato in their hand and ordering everyone to move out.

"Thank the gods that Master Corrin is alive!" Felicia cried from Jakob's side. The man nodded absentmindedly, his eyes locked on Corrin's fighting form.

His gaze was interrupted by a pair of warm gray eyes.

Jakob stumbled backwards, blinking.

Flora's transparent form floated by Corrin's shoulder, and she turned to look at Jakob.

The Nohrian butler opened his mouth, but no sound came out of his lips. Instead, he could only find himself to mouth the words she had told him days ago.

"I love you."

Flora smiled. Her voice drifted through his mind, "I know."

Jakob smiled back, and he nodded.

Flora waved, and Jakob was taken aback when she began to disappear in a shower of ice and snow.

"Goodbye, my love."

The silver-haired butler watched as the snowflakes drifted through the air, and he closed his eyes, smiling.

He swore to never cry, and always remember that day. Remember the blue-haired maid that he had loved.

 _So change your mind_

 _And say you're mine._

 _Don't leave tonight_

 _Stay._

She smiled as she watched him, doing his butler duties. He nodded and placed the teacup before his master.

The lady kicked her foot upwards, snatching the dagger from midair.

The light filtered through her fingers, and she watched as Jakob left the room. The silver-haired butler stopped by the window in the hallways of the castle, his hand gripping the doorknob of a familiar room with a reminder of a painful history.

Her blue hair floated behind her, tied into two pigtails with a small white crown that sat upon her scalp.

Jakob pushed the door open, and his breath caught in his throat as he saw the small bronze statue sitting in the middle of his room, entangled in ice. He never understood why he had wanted such a painful reminder of her in his room.

Her warm gray eyes were staring into the distance, and a smile graced her features.

The man looked at the statue, and he traced his fingers along the icy vines crawling up the statue.

Flora just looked on, perched on his bed.

"Flora!" Elise's voice rang through the air, and the blonde peeked her head out from mid-air. The blue-haired spirit nodded, casting a final glance at Jakob before taking Elise's outstretched hand and disappearing to a world of stars and spirits.

She clasped her hands together, and her thoughts were filled with the love and warmth of a Nohrian butler.

 _Say goodbye in the pouring rain_

 _And I break down as you walk away._

 _Stay, stay._

Jakob stared at the outside of the glass panes to the rain, pounding heavily against the walls of the castle.

The rain wasn't quite the snow, but the frigid temperatures of the outside were enough to remind him of the fateful day.

Jakob leaned back to take a seat on the small chair by his table. He brought the teacup to his lips, and took a quiet sip. The silver-haired butler stared at the liquid rippling in the white teacup lined with ice decor. His finger traced the handle of the teacup, curled in ice.

He cast his eyes on the ceiling, staring at the pulled-back curtains. He placed the teacup down and stood to undo the curtain ribbons.

Jakob pulled the ribbons, and the curtains fell before the windows, blocking the cold gray view outside.

The man stared at the pattern of ice flowers lining the bottom of the curtains. Jakob stared at the black ribbons in his hand, and clenched his hands around the strings of silk.

He never knew such simple hair ribbons could help him savor the thought of her love, and then he experienced what absence of love was like.

 _'Cause all my life I've felt this way_

 _But I could never find the words to say_

 _Stay, stay._

The two people watched the water pouring from the spout of the can and showering the small, budding flowers. Felicia raised the can and handed it off to Jakob, who nodded and waved her off.

Quietly, Jakob began to dig at the dirt, pulling out old or rotten leaves and packing the soil against the stem of the flowers. His black glove caught onto the end of a small thin object stuck underneath the box of flowers, and he leaned in to examine the yellowed substance.

Jakob pulled the object out of the damp soil, dusting off the particles of dirt before turning his attention to the thin material he held in his hands.

His heart skipped a beat as he recognized Flora's handwriting and words neatly printed on the old, wrinkled paper.

"So she had kept it through this entire conflict, did she?"

Jakob smiled, turning to the light blue flowers sitting in the flower box. They just stared back at him.

He turned his back and walked out of the room. Jakob touched the small parchment in his pocket and chuckled.

"Stay with me, huh…? I wish you could have, my beloved."

And so, he walked away from the room, a genuine smile on his face because of that room. The room that smelled of Flora because it was hers, the ice stringing from the ceiling because she had made it, and the flowers that were like Flora's hair color because she had picked them out, and the person, invisible to human eyes, sitting on the window seat with the flowers because she was Flora, her smile illuminating the room as she clutched onto a matching piece of paper that had been burned alongside her, written in Jakob's loopy handwriting.

 _Stay with me, stay with me,_

 _Stay with me, stay with me,_

 _Stay, stay, stay, stay with me._


End file.
